3-5 in away games is about average in the league. Nothing unusual there.

Coaching also is very different in away matches.

He had good times, he had bad times. This year, the good times must outshine the bad times by a good margin, otherwise, he'll be replaced. I'm sure our FO feels the same. I'm confident that he's capable. Others are not. It is what it is._________________Ponder is not done in Minnesota...yet. I think now, he might be. Will miss you, Samantha Hottie.

At Football Outsiders, the analyst writing the NFC North article looks at Ponder's trouble with deep passing last year and puts together a table listing the other QBs with bad numbers on deep passing since 2005.

The comparison is a bit of a stretch, since Ponder's performance is positive on both of their metrics (+108 DYAR and +10.7% DVOA -- which are still well below what most QBs have done throwing deep) and most of the other QBs on that table have hurt their teams overall (negative numbers). A couple of successful QBs are on the list who improved their downfield passing once they got better downfield receivers, including Matt Ryan. Many of the QBs on the list didn't survive as starters, including Tarvaris Jackson, who had the worst (or 2nd worst after Jamarcus Russell) performance on their list in 2007, way worse even than Ponder last year.

Jaworski:"The arrow is pointing upward as Ponder begins his third season as the Vikings starter. Ponder fits the profile so many are now talking about: the athletic movement quarterback who can beat you with his legs. Ponder is an opportunity runner, and he's shown the ability to burn some of the best defenses in the league.

"Ponder needs to make significant improvements as a pocket passer. Surprisingly, with Adrian Peterson in the backfield, he was not efficient off play-action. Ponder also had a tendency to be a beat late with his throws. At this point, he doesn't see the whole field with clarity and that led to too many throws into the teeth of the coverage. And he must execute versus the blitz much better than he did in 2012.

"You know what statistic really bothered me? Ponder had only 28 completions of 20 yards or more -- by far the fewest of any 16-game starter. I saw one in Week 17 that I really liked. It was a shot play, first-and-10 play-action out of base personnel.

"Overall, I like Ponder's skillset. He has plus arm strength with the ability to make every single throw. The Vikings have now provided Ponder with more weapons on the outside. [The 2013 season] is an important season for the third-year quarterback. It's time to play more consistently from the pocket. If Ponder does that, he could well be in my top 20 next year."

Wow! The top 20? Talk about being damned by faint praise….

Let's provide some specifics on what Jaworski referenced. Ponder threw the second-most play-action passes in the NFL last season (165), according to ESPN Stats & Information. He passed for half of his season total of touchdown passes (nine of 18 ) on such throws. But he also threw four interceptions and took eight sacks, finishing with an 88.2 passer rating and a 63.2 Total Quarterback Rating overall in play-action.

At Football Outsiders, the analyst writing the NFC North article looks at Ponder's trouble with deep passing last year and puts together a table listing the other QBs with bad numbers on deep passing since 2005.

The comparison is a bit of a stretch, since Ponder's performance is positive on both of their metrics (+108 DYAR and +10.7% DVOA -- which are still well below what most QBs have done throwing deep) and most of the other QBs on that table have hurt their teams overall (negative numbers). A couple of successful QBs are on the list who improved their downfield passing once they got better downfield receivers, including Matt Ryan. Many of the QBs on the list didn't survive as starters, including Tarvaris Jackson, who had the worst (or 2nd worst after Jamarcus Russell) performance on their list in 2007, way worse even than Ponder last year.

I liked the football outsiders piece, and generally a lot of the columns they put out.

Ryan was probably an outlier in 09', he still played pretty well the year before._________________
Joe_is_the_best ^^

it turns out there is a small lake in Teton National Park that is called... Christian Pond.

Christian Pond is a small freshwater lake in Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. State of Wyoming. The pond is known for its diversity of waterfowl including the Trumpeter Swan which nest there. Summer water temperatures are typically warmer than most lakes in Grand Teton National Park. Turbidity is low and pH levels are typically in the range of 9.6 (slightly alkaline). The pond is partially covered by water lilies and has a 3.2 mile circumferential trail.

Watching Sam and Christian Ponder questioning NFL players on the red carpet together is excruciating. I cant put my finger on exactly why? The chummy married subtle comments, his bowtie or the fact that he would even sign up to do it in the first place? Something about his face, just want to punch him in the suck hole.

Watching Sam and Christian Ponder questioning NFL players on the red carpet together is excruciating. I cant put my finger on exactly why? The chummy married subtle comments, his bowtie or the fact that he would even sign up to do it in the first place? Something about his face, just want to punch him in the suck hole.

Watching Sam and Christian Ponder questioning NFL players on the red carpet together is excruciating. I cant put my finger on exactly why? The chummy married subtle comments, his bowtie or the fact that he would even sign up to do it in the first place? Something about his face, just want to punch him in the suck hole.

Only way he could actually get inside lol. To me he is just a guy who is happy with his current life, not willing to put in the crazy amount of dedication it takes to be great. Just like Mark Sanchise. We'll see, I'd love to be wrong in this instance. Not a gifted athlete or a crazy competitor, an average QB just like he was at Flordia State.

Watching Sam and Christian Ponder questioning NFL players on the red carpet together is excruciating. I cant put my finger on exactly why? The chummy married subtle comments, his bowtie or the fact that he would even sign up to do it in the first place? Something about his face, just want to punch him in the suck hole.

IDK why he is doing this either to be honest.

Audition for a new job if he stinks up the Dome this year...

Which I hope isn't the case...but we'll see. If he isn't mightily improved than I'd rather just move on if we have the chance to get a nice QB next year. Seems to me like even if he is like last year we'd still be out of that range.